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I'm young, healthy and presently do not have health insurance. Am I required to sign-up???

WCM, since you are in your 20s, you may be able to be included on your parents insurance plan (age out at 27). This is one if the benefits provided by the Affordable Care Act. You could also purchase a Catastrophic plan which has a lower premium cost than all the other plans. You will have higher out-of-pocket costs though. Go to the healthcare.gov website for more information. A lot of people--and not just the young ones--share your frustrations about being "required" to get an insurance policy, but the other Posters make good points--especially about scenarios that we hope to never find ourselves in. Every book I ever read about making money always said to put some away for a rainy day. Why should I when it's sunny outside?! Because we know that the rain will eventually come. We just don't know when.

Health coverage is your rainy day fund.

YOUR LIFE is the greatest asset you have--protect it. Yeah, life as a 20-something is pretty care-free right now. No worries, right? But Lord help you if the "rain" comes your way! Did you know that the No. 1 reason for bankruptcy in America is due to medical bills? (Google it if you don't believe me.)Just today my co-worker mentioned to me that someone dear to her is fighting cancer and has a prescription drug that is $10,000 a month? ONE drug! That is unfathomable!! But then again, My own child was almost 4 before I finished paying off the medical bills from h birth and week's stay in the NICU. And I had what I considered to be good coverage!

WCM, you could also just pay the penalty ($95) but then there's still the matter of protecting your health, your job, your financial stability… Whatever choice you make, try to make an informed one. There are a lot of websites including healthcare.gov that will arm you with the information you need to go forward. I just hope you bring an umbrella.

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Answers

Am I forced to purchase a government certified health care plan? There is no more shopping around allowed for healthcare plans? It's like everyone being forced to purchase an iPhone from ATT. The price would go up, and quality of service would go down because ATT and Apple would know you have no other choices, and you have to buy, under government threat.

What would you do if you are hit by a car (who runs from the scene and is not caught) and land in the ICU for a month with serious injuries next month? What if you are one of the rare 20 year olds who finds a lump and is diagnosed with cancer in 6months? You never know when you will need insurance or not.

Everyone needs access to cheap medical care. I really hope that you do not ever have to use it, but you never know. There have been numerous uninsured 20 year olds who ended up with large healthcare bills that they could not afford. This has ruined the lives of many. Get insurance!

You don't have to sign up. Don't take that BS from anybody dude. They fine your tax return so if you aren't making a lot you wont be missing out on anything.

And if you get injured and are in hospital, you can sign up. You will be covered under the pre-existing clause.

Don't let sheep or the government scare you into buying something you don't need. The plans are unaffordable unless you are considered to be in poverty. They need ppl to sign up so they threaten but their threats are as hollow as Obama's plans against Russia.

Yes, you are technically an adult, over the age of 18, so yes you are required to have insurance. From my understanding, EVERYONE must have insurance at all times. If you do not carry insurance for a certain amount of time total, throughout the year, you will be fined when its time for taxes. The fine is big too, like $600-$1000